My coldhearted ex demands a remarriage - Chapter 316

Chapter 316:

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Billie hesitated, but eventually sighed and poured him a fresh cup of Colombian coffee. She set it in front of him with a touch of reprimand in her tone. “I hear the company’s been a madhouse lately. Expansion projects, AI deals with Steu Skua—aren’t you stretched thin? How do you still find time to lounge around here?”

“No matter how busy I get, I’m still human,” Kristopher countered, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it carelessly onto the sofa. “You can’t run me like a machine.”

He eased into the seat beside Carrie, picked up the coffee, took a measured sip, and then extended the cup to her. “Here. This is the blend you like.”

Carrie accepted it, her fingers brushing the porcelain rim as her thoughts churned.

The ripples in the coffee seemed to echo her inner turmoil. His presence, both at the Campbell company earlier and now at the Norris Mansion, felt deliberate. There was no mistaking it—he was here for her. He had stood up for her before, but it was always incidental, as though by accident. Today, however, his actions bore an unmistakable intent.

Billie’s eyes narrowed as she took in the exchange, her displeasure barely veiled. She turned her gaze away and remarked casually, “The Campbell family company is a sinking ship. Pouring money into it won’t raise it from the depths. If they come asking for help, just toss them a few hundred thousand and be done with it. Why take on that mess and drag yourself into trouble?”

Kristopher opened his mouth to respond, but Carrie touched his arm lightly, a silent plea for restraint. She straightened, meeting Billie’s gaze. “Billie, the company was my mother’s legacy—something she built with her own hands.”

Billie’s sharp eyes met hers, cutting her off. “Didn’t you already buy back the old apartment your mother left behind? Haven’t you spent enough chasing memories? How much more do you plan to throw into this endless pit?”

The bluntness of Billie’s words hit like a slap, leaving Carrie momentarily speechless. She took a steadying sip of coffee, then set the cup down with care. Her voice, though quiet, held firm resolve. “I used my own money for the apartment. And as for the company, I’m not taking it on for nostalgia alone. It has potential—it always did. Mismanagement brought it down, but with the right direction, it can thrive again.”

Kristopher’s jaw tightened as he watched her bear the brunt of Billie’s criticism.

Lλtєѕτ chαρτєrs ιn gɐl𝑛ovє𝓁𝓈.𝗰oм

Billie’s scoff was as cold as winter wind. “Potential? That company was barely noteworthy, even at its best.”

Kristopher began unbuttoning his cuffs, his voice steady but laced with warning.

Dropping a degree colder, Kristopher’s voice remained steady. “Uncle Cory’s ventures have burned through far more money, with far less hope of success. Everyone could see the warning signs, but he dove in headfirst, and guess who had to clean up after him? Mom, if you need something to occupy your energy, why not keep an eye on Uncle Cory’s antics instead of meddling in Carrie’s?”

Kailee, who had been quietly observing, suddenly piped up, her lips curling into a pout. “Kristopher!”

But Kristopher didn’t even glance her way. His expression remained implacable. “And you. You’re supposed to be the picture of elegance, aren’t you? Yet you act like a small-town gossip, stirring up drama wherever you go. Word travels fast in Orkset. Do you think anyone’s looking to marry into trouble?”

Kailee’s lips pressed into a thin line. Thinking of Albin, she bit back her retort and looked away, sulking.

Billie, however, was far from silenced. She slammed her hand on the table, her temper flaring. “Don’t twist my words. I’m doing this for your sake! The Campbell family can’t hold a candle to your uncle’s. No matter his shortcomings, he came through when it mattered. If it weren’t for him arriving in time back then, do you think you’d even be alive today?”

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